NEW DELHI : Ahead of rolling out the three newly enacted criminal laws replacing the British-era Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act from July 1, sources in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has formed 36 support teams and has set up call centres for a constant review and handholding of the states and Union Territories for their smooth implementation.
The sources said 40 lakh grassroots workers and 5.65 lakh police, prison, forensics, judicial and prosecution officials have been trained to create awareness about the new laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023.
They said since the new laws have put emphasis on the widespread use of new technology in investigation, trial and court proceedings, the NCRB has made 23 functional modifications in the existing Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and Systems (CCTNS) application. The application is connected to almost all police stations in the country and the cases are now registered under this, they added.
The National Informatics Centre has also developed apps — eSakshya, NyayShruti and eSummon — for facilitating videography and photography of crime scenes, judicial hearings and delivery court summons electronically under the new criminal laws, they said.
Sources said the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has developed training modules for capacity building. These have been shared with states and UTs. On its own part, the BPR&D conducted 250 training courses, organised webinars and seminars in which 40,317 officers and personnel have been trained.
Sources also said that the iGOT-Karmayogi Bharat and BPR&D are offering three training courses each on the new criminal laws, for which 2,17,985 officials have enrolled.
As part of the MHA’s efforts to make general public aware of the three new criminal laws, the ministries of women and child development, rural development and panchayati raj have been roped in and they undertook various measures, including conducting of webinars, in which nearly 40 lakh grassroots level functionaries participated, the sources said.
The Department of Legal Affairs under the Ministry of Law and Justice has also organised four conferences each in state capitals. Delegates from diverse fields, including the Chief Justice of India, Supreme Court and high court judges and domain experts took part.
Training & Preparations
NCRB hasformed 36 support teams and set up call centres to handhold states and UTs in implementating the laws
40 lakh grassroots workers and 5.65 lakh police, prison, forensics, judicial and prosecution officials have been trained to create awareness
23 modifications made in the CCTNS app, which is connected to all police stations. Cases are registered in the app
eSakshya, NyayShruti and eSummon apps developed to facilitate videography and photography of crime scenes, judicial hearings and delivery of court summons electronically
The 3 Laws
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 to replace Indian Penal Code
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita ’23 to replace Code of Criminal Procedure
Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 to replace Indian Evidence Act